Apple is scaling back its ambitions for an AI-powered virtual health coach, internally code-named Mulberry, as it re-evaluates its strategy in the growing wellness services market, Mark Gurman reports for Bloomberg News.
Instead of launching the full service, the company intends to incorporate select planned features gradually into its existing Health app over time. This shift comes amid intensifying competition in health tracking, where companies like Oura Health and Whoop are delivering more engaging and effective capabilities—especially via their iPhone apps.
Mark Gurman for Bloomberg News:
The decision followed a leadership shift at Apple’s health organization, with services chief Eddy Cue taking over the division after longtime executive Jeff Williams retired at the end of last year.
Cue has told colleagues that Apple needs to move faster and be more competitive in health, the people said. He added that newer rivals — including Oura Health Oy and Whoop Inc. — offer more compelling and useful features, particularly through their iPhone apps.
The longtime Apple executive didn’t think that the company’s existing plan for a new health service met that bar. He’s also considering changes to Apple Fitness+, a $9.99-per-month competitor to Peloton Interactive Inc.’s app that offers guided workouts…
Apple, which spent years developing the artificial intelligence-powered service, referred to it internally as Health+. The company had previously aimed to introduce it with the iOS 26 operating system last year, before delaying the launch until spring. It then postponed the debut again until the release of iOS 27, scheduled for September, before the change in plans.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple Fitness+ is great, but we’re unsure how many people actually take advantage of it.
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I’ve found Fitness+ to be flaky and not at all addictive. I did a rowing workout when I got a new rower and blasted the hell out of my hip flexor requiring me to give it 8 weeks of no exercise to recover (it was the sprint which was a bad idea for a beginner but I couldn’t easily find a starter workout). Then I’ve done some Yoga and it was fine except like the third time through doing the same thing I was like thanks but no thanks. It’s a PITA constantly authorizing it through the phone too, and my Apple Watch wasn’t managing the handshake well either. Like why is that so assholish? You don’t make me authorize in a user facing way when I watch AppleTV+. I tried to use the meditations app at work with a team through Airplay and it refused to allow it not sure why. It’s just a pain in the ass system. I bet not many use it. I’d drop it but I have the ONE plan and can’t get rid of it and save.
Eddy’s–modify b/c rivals have a better offerings–a sure sign of wandering and it’s sure not like the the previous CEO’s thinking:
“Some people say, “Give the customers what they want.” But that’s not my approach. Our job is to figure out what they’re going to want before they do. “